Fairytale Fun!

Dear Friends,
At last I have some felt to show you - these are new pieces I have been creating at Caulfield Grammar in Malvern and measure about 80 - 90cm wide. Each one represents a class from Grade 1 - 5 (there are two classes at each level).

We have had the best fun with a class spent on designing. Here the children all contribute to how they would like their story to look. I get all the children to draw the overall picture as well as
individual elements to complete the story. I then choose ones that I think would be great and the class vote on which ones will be used. Of course there is often a good deal of tweaking to be done!




Just in case you can't guess our fairytales - this one is Sleeping Beauty.
The first one is Hansel and Gretel




The 3 Billy Goats Gruff

Puss in Boots

Red Riding Hood

The 3 Little Pigs

There are also 3 others that are ENORMOUS! These include Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel

and the Princess and the Pea. I will get more pics of these when they're in position.

They will all be installed in the library and can be moved to any part of the school if needed.

Dozens and dozens of hours spent dyeing and organizing but isn't it worth it when have had SUCH fun!

I hope that whatever you are doing this week you are having the best time creating something sensational.

Love

Elizabeth

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Beautiful Yorkshire

Dear Friends,
A few more holiday pics! I do hope you are not finding them boring!! Above is the beautiful city of York filled with much history and excellent shopping.

Wandering along The Shambles - an old shopping district with some timber shops that date back to the fourteenth century. Yes that is my Mum on the left - the one grinning!

Gorgeous shoes in a shop called Ness - a Scottish label that has clothes groovy bags accessories the lot! The colours are just so beautiful!

Country lanes near where we were staying.

This is the approach to Fountains Abbey near Ripon in North Yorkshire. It was started in the early 1100's and the stone used was mined close by - we were even able to spot the exact stone in nearby exposed rock seams. I spent ages staring at the colours and there are many shots revealing shades that I think would dye beautifully.

Inside Ripon cathedral - SOOOOOO stunning and we were lucky to chance upon a concert by the local girls choir at lunchtime which was just magic! We had the best crumpets and tea in a great place opposite.

This is out order, but these little wildflowers were at Fountains Abbey clinging on in the most unlikely places.

Arches within arches are a lovely theme for the artist to explore no matter what your discipline.

We were here for so long we didn't notice that we were cold and hungry. There was just so much to see and explore and but for 2 other people, we were the only ones there!

The beautiful colours of the stone and the way it was softening with the passage of time was very beguiling. I kept gazing at all the shades within a wall, an arch even a single stone.

The area below the abbey where the monks kept supplies of food. The bare bones of the structure and the effects of the light upon it were lovely to observe. The hints of green and cinnamon and cream and grey and pale gold and ...........................Just trying to descibe it is quite hard! All you could hear was the wind and the birds.

At one time it must have been simply jaw dropping, before Henry VIII's dissolution of course.

Another early morning wander - a little walk that went for a couple of km's - so white and frothy it reminded me of a bride on her special day.

The view out the back of our B and B which was about 20 minutes from Harrogate.

JUST STUNNING! This part of the world was something I guess I had dreamt about since watching James Herriot - once upon a time! Dry stone walls and green valleys and plenty of sheep!

After wadlling out after breakfast each day - eggs and smoked salmon, the best porridge I have ever had (incidentally it was made with cream!) toast and fruit and of course a huge pot of tea we relly needed to go for a really LONG walk to walk it off so that we could fit on the plane home!

Well time to go - thankyou so much for your interest I promise to post some felt soon!!

Lots of Love

Elizabeth

XXX

Home at Last

Well dear friends HOME at last!

It seems but a week ago I was setting off, but to judge by the 8000 plus photos it appears that it took a little longer.

Needless to say I really did have the most wonderful time - but you probably guessed that!

There are so many highlights and although I was totally happy (albeit tired!) I really miss England already.

We got home late Saturday on the 18th after 40 minutes of sleep for the entire journey which took from 8.30am on Friday morning until 10.00pm Saturday night- door to door.

In the next 2 weeks I would like to share some more images with you and hope that you will find them interesting. Some friends have already asked me what were the best moments and I think that walking through wild bluebell woods, following sheep down a lane and teaching in England were very special. Having said that, another 20 occasions come to mind immediately!

The weather in Paris was wet wet wet - so my photos are pretty boring. Florence and Rome were hot hot hot! So not so pleasant -very sticky and certainly slowed the pace down. We call it a holiday but it really is an "Experience". So I have had a several days to collect myself and have started teaching already! Yippee!

Seeing new things is very much a salve to tiredness - but I am now charging ahead towards the familiar and regular with renewed vigour. As you would expect I have a thousand thoughts jumbling over one another and I hope to produce some new work over the next couple of months when I am able to marshal them!

NOTE: My computer crashed nearly 3 weeks ago - just froze up - and I wasn't able to post.

After being resurrected yesterday it would appear that I permanently lost all emails since 7th June until the 21st. Into the ether apparently!

If anyone has tried to get in touch please do so again as I have no way of retrieving them - I am not being intentionally rude!!!

In the photos here you can see the gorgeous walks we had through the bluebells around Cantebury - just in time before the weather changed for them to disappear. The bed and breakfast we stayed in "Castle Cottage" (within actual Castle grounds!) was at a weeny place called Chilham where the village was set around the ancient market square.

After a very lengthy drive where we got lost no less than 4 times we arrived at the gate in the dark and were very warmly welcomed and promptly fell into bed. A truly lovely village with tiny pubs and lovely walks everywhere right from the door.

SO pleased to be chatting with you all again,

Lots of love

Elizabeth

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Early mornings.....................

Hi friends!
Well I think I just may live in England forwever! I don't think it is just holiday fever, I really feel so happy here. Due to the fact that we are trying to fit in so much, our days have been starting quite early. Here are some pics from along a country lane where spring is really doing her thing.
Of course I am still photographing stones and rock walls as well.

Pretty views of lovely homes tucke away behind hedges and gates.

The light which can be quite hard in Australia is so gentle here. I spend a lot of time noticing this as we drive down country lanes that feel as if we are stuck in a rabbit warren at times. It doesn't seem to matter though - these beautiful lanes filled with wild flowers seem timeless somehow.

Visiting Arundel castle near Chichester inside the chapel - another lovely door.

We have been staying in lovely B and B's and some self catering cottages. This was a tiny church at the end of the lane.

More loveliness.

The lovely light at 6.00am - can this really have been me here?

Mum and I are both well and and eating like horses. Everything is amazingly delicious and 2 afternoon teas on most days sounds most reasonable. Especially as we walk for so many hours looking at churches and museums and just about anything else....................................

Will chime in again soon,

Lots of love dear friends

ELizabeth

XXX

Storybook Holiday!

Well hello at last dear friends!

You must all have thought I had left for another planet not just another country!

Well here in sensational Britain Mum and I are having what can only be descibed as a story book holiday! Everything is dovetailing beautifully and we have been so touched by all the kindness from everybody.

Upon arriving we picked up our hire car and immediately drove down to Winchester. Sensational! As I am doing the driving I have been getting lost on quite a regular basis ( daily!) and I am not backward in asking for help - from the man walking his dog in the street to the lady in the carpark not to mention the man at the garage and I can't forget the vicar at the tea rooms!

Now that Mum has taken charge of the navigator we are doing beautifully. Our orienteering skills have soared sky high! Also we have named her Tilly!

The photos here are some from inside and around Winchester Cathedral - truly an amazing place to gaze at for many hours - we were lucky to catch some choir rehersals and the acoustics are awe inspiring!

The wooden carvings were a joy to hunt down and I simpy couldn't stop photographing them - than 40 carvings of the Green Man alone, although I didn't have enough time to find them all.

As you can imagine I am taking at least a hundred photos a day. Not just willy nilly - I love taking close ups of subjects that may later be intrerpreted for a piece of work - wood, flowers, stone, brickwork, gardens,streets and I just love taking photos of doors!

Weird I know!

As a result I am to be found crawling on the ground, waiting for people to pass by or changing the setting on the camera - whilst Mum is striding on with her head swivelling and occasionally chatting to me - or at least she thinks so!

At any rate all is well - we are having a blast and I will post again soon!

Oh forgot to mention, any cake we have never seen we feel compelled to try - so when next we meet don't be surprised if I am shaped like Humpty Dumpty!

Lots of Love

Elizabeth

XXX

Some groovy news!

Dear Friends,
Some exciting news! I am travelling to the UK on the 21st April and will be there until early June, tootling around with my Mum who really does need a holiday! After that we go to Paris for a few days and then onto Rome via Florence. Needless to say I am so excited. I am going to try and blog whilst I am away and will be travelling with a little notebook computer I am yet to buy!


I would love to meet up with blog friends if possible - providing the itinerary works! Drop me a line if you would like to hook up.




In the meantime here are some teeny weeny strawberries about the size of your thumbnail. We have to grab them quickly otherwise our feathered friends enjoy them instead of us!

Aren't they just so inspiring for a piece of artwork. Embroidered, painted, felted, beaded............... whatever!

Looking at the little things gives pockets of joy to every day - if we take the time. Don't you think? Sometimes one day seems very like the day before, but tiny things do change and hunting for them can be a challenge.

Hoping to hear from some UK friends in BLOGLAND,

Every best wish

Love

Elizabeth

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One dozen Puppets!

Dear friends,
Over the last couple of weeks I have been back at a school from last year (remember the underwater wallhanging?) same children!

Such fun we have had creating some really beautiful felt. They have been pieced together by myself and the art teacher. The design ideas were instigated by the students with drawings on what they felt a puppet should look like.

A couple of the ladies have their faces stitched and naturally the others will follow in the next couple of weeks.

This is my favourite lady

and this is my favourite gentleman!

Don't you just love them? I am so proud of what we have achieved and now I want a dozen to hang up at home.

Oh yes, the upward turned hands will have yarn attached to indicate (without a doubt) that they are indeed puppets.

In a few weeks they will all be framed - possibly four sets of 3 so that they can be hung in school as a collective or be seperated and placed in different venues.

Which is your fave? Don't tell me you aren't already deciding!

I'd be thrilled to hear what is your selection,

Until next time

Happy creating!

Love

Elizabeth

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